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Background Information:
The Office
of the Vice- President is the Second Highest Executive Office in The
Gambia and currently carries with it a Departmental ministerial
portfolio (Dept. of Women's
Affairs).
Isatou Njie-Saidy:
The current vice-president of The Gambia is Mrs. Isatou Njie-Saidy
(also spelt Aisatu). She was born in the village of Kuntaya, North
Bank Region on 5th March 1952 and has 4
children. Like many people of here generation she speaks several languages namely: English, French, Fula, Wollof and Mandinka.
Education:
Between 1959 and 1964
she attended the Brikama Primary School. Then between 1964- 1970 she
attended Armitage High School, Georgetown (Janjangbureh) where she obtained GCE "0"
Level in 4 subjects. The following year in 1971 she entered the Yundum
Teacher's Training College where she qualified in 1974. Between July
1979 to December, 1979 she entered the Research Institute for
Management Science, RVB, Delft, The Netherlands where she was awarded
a Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial Management.
Sept. - Nov. 1981 she was enrolled in The University of the
Philippines, Institute for small-scale Industries. Obtained
Certificate following course in small-scale Industrial Information
Management (SINFOMAN).
Sept. 1988: The University College of Swansea, University of
Wales. Obtained M.Sc. Economics (in Social and Economic Development).
Working Career:
Between 1970 - 1972
she began her working career as a pupil teacher in Secondary School.
She formally came into the Government in July 1996 when she became the
Minister of Health. The following year on the 20th March 1997 she was
appointed to the position of VP and the Secretary of State for Health,
Social Welfare and Women's Affairs.
Mrs. Isatou Njie Saidy is
not only the first woman to control the office of the Vice President
of the Gambia, but she is also the first woman to have achieved this
position in West Africa.
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